of entanglements
by barya
Summary: Chapter 3! involves Garsiv meddling in Dastan's love affairs and getting entangled along with it.
1. Chapter 1

"You do not want her?"

"How could I want her when I have never seen her before. And we have already discussed that she would be the rightful prize to the new 'Lion of Persia'. Stop going over it in your head."

"I'm just thinking about propriety. You have not married yet and to betrothe Dastan ahead of you may not sit well with father or the council. Plus, you are more easier to convince than Dastan."

"Easier to convince, eh?"

"I meant that you are more mature to understand the situation."

"Not in this matter. Getting associated with anything from Almut neither sits well with me. Dastan claimed the first blood in this city, he is known to have conquered it and even more known for appeasing with it. I would rather have it written that I was irresponsibly trading jars and silk in the east while this whole drama of an invasion happened."

"If there is only an easier way to legitimize this invasion than getting one of you to break your seeming vow to celibacy. Our religious allies would not be happy to hear that their temples in the western part of the city were severely burned for no reason at all."

"Why don't you marry the princess then, Tus? You have no problem collecting wives."

"With no crime to witness against Almut, the city's priestess is by tradition offered the position of first wife by royal families. It will be an insult to take away her holiness to a kingdom where she will serve only as a 15th wife to me."

"Even if the kingdom is Persia?"

"Sadly, tradition does not exempt Persia."

"From what?" Dastan rolled down from the windows.

"I told you Tus, this tower is not safe enough to reside in! If Dastan can roll himself into your chambers without breaking a sweat..."

"The Lion of Persia could stroll around the flaming underworld without sweat, now could you little brother?" Tus, interrupted, his voice glinting with intention of flattering Dastan as well as saving his tower view of the Almut's lush green hanging gardens."

"Stroll? You could add cartwheels and acrobatics, and yes, no sweat, haha." Dastan said with the boyish demeanor that endeared him to his brothers more than his show off bearing irked them.

"That is correct Dastan, and I also believe that handling a woman would not be a problem to you as well." Tus added, still with a tone that glorified Dastan.

Garsiv chuckled while standing up to take his leave. "The day has been long for me and my men preparing for a battle that never was. I will leave you to banter about the inevitable fates of great men like the two of you... that is marriage."

"What does he mean Tus?" Dastan's voice grew nervous and serious adding more to Garsiv's excitement, prompting the second prince to turn around to witness Dastan's reaction when Tus finally tells him.

"Well you see Dastan, marriage is a duty of a prince. I know Garsiv has not actually been a good example, but aside from him, all princes, not just in Persia, marry for the continuation of the royal bloodline, alliances, pro..."

"I know that, old Darius starts every lesson about anatomy with that speech."

"I thought you did not listen to him.'

"I am all ears in the female anatomy, but what is it that you are telling me?"

"Tus is saying that it is your duty to benefit Persia immensely by marriage to the princess of Almut." Garsiv interjected with a big smile, no longer able to wait for Dastan's violent reaction. However, Dastan responded only silence for a few seconds, and considering Dastan and the topic, that few seconds felt a long time.

"I.. I will marry the Princess... of course, I will marry her for Persia." Dastan finally said, giving his final phrase with no hint of hesitation.

Tus and Garsiv mouths were left hanging in the air. That was not an answer they expected at all. Tus, however, broke into a huge smile and walked towards Dastan for a big hug.

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"Marry the princess? One would think you are excited."

"I do not wish to marry ahead of you brother, my marriage can wait. However, the Princess Tamina herself I cannot succumb to you."

"So you do want her?"

"Is it wrong for me to want a woman?"

"Not at all. But are you not wanting the wrong woman?"

"What do you mean?"

"I always thought your heart lies with someone from Persia, one you would honor as first wife."

"Is someone in particular in your mind?"

"A beautiful face could make you easily forget? Dont you remember Lady Zarja who patiently awaits for your return in every battle anymore?"

"Zarja? I have never had any intention of marrying her."

(silence)

"So you have been playing her all along?" Garsiv shoved Dastan to the wall.

"Woah. My brother, I never imagined you to be a protector of the honor of women. But she has never entered my mind as a wife or lover. Now, could you put me down. Tus is already asleep and I am in no humor to play fist with you tonight when I have a marriage proposal to attend to tomorrow."

"You seemed a changed man, Dastan." Garsiv said as he loosend his grip. "Is it possible that the princess has cast a spell upon you?" Garsiv then placed the back of his hand on top of Dastan's forehead.

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He traced the soft skin of her neck with his finger and in an instant she jerked away.

"Your highness!" shaken from her trance of staring at the newly engaged couple, her hazelnut eyes looked back at him with the all too familiar expression he interprets as disgust that she usually gives him.

"She is a beauty isn't she?" He said turning his gaze to Tamina. He leaned back to the walls in the nearly secluded corner of the court where Zarja decided to hide as she stalked every movement of Dastan and Tamina who basked in the attention of all the well wishers of their soon union. His knees could hardly support him in his drunken state.

"It is not really not much of a surprise, her beauty is known across desserts."

"Have the two of you been introduced?"

"No... not yet."

"Hmmm, Dastan has not accommodated you since you arrived, hasn't he? He had been spending every waking hour with his princess, one would think he is her guard of duty."

"That is good to hear, he is happy with the union. It had always seemed to me that he will never marry."

"Had he?... come on, i'll introduce you to your rival"

"Milord?"

"I will take you to meet Tamina, the sight of you could awaken Dastan from whatever spell he has been under." He pulled her hand but found that all the wine had taken away his strength.

"what do you mean your highess? You think Prince Dastan is being enchanted?" Zarja pulled back her hand along with the rest of the prince's body, leaving him to lean on her.

"He would have been very well enchanted to forget you so easily, don't you think?" Said the prince who cupped Zarja's face gently as he spoke. Garsiv has never spoken to her in that manner, in which he seemingly was giving her praise. But then again, the stench in his breath reminded her that he was never drunk around her before, if anything, he was always angry at the drunk Dastan when she sees him.

"But, milord..."


	2. Chapter 2

Thanks a lot for the reviews! I've corrected Alamut's spelling in this chapter, thanks for pointing that out (: and I'll try not to make the dialogues confusing (I just want to hasten the pace of this story so I dont bother much with description- the faster, the higher probability I can finish this)

~break~

"Tamina, come and see me! Tamina!" a hysterical voice resounded through the atrium of Princess Tamina's palace. Whatever the plan of the royal young man is, he could have easily executed, as none of Alamut's guards seemed intent to stop him, if not for a frail slightly older noble and his personal guard who forcedfully tugged and dragged the former back outside, towards one of the enclavatures of the garden.

"what are you doing? Are you not thinking at all?" asked the older brother. He then slapped the face of his sibling whose mouth is held shut by a meanly built eunuch. The younger lad squirmed a little more while in the clutches of his captor, before breaking down in tears. That is when the guard loosened him.

"Brother, I cannot lose her, I need to get her back."

"My dear boy, barging into her palace will not do the job for you, especially when the princess does not seem to want you back as well."

"But is there any other way?"

"The only way is to let her go."

"Never!"

"Listen, forcing yourself on her will do no good. You are powerless and causing a controversy will further endanger our already precarious political standing. It will be to our advantage to let the princess be."

"But what about love?"

"What about it?"

"Tamina loves me, brother! I will be letting her down if I let her go so easily!"

"It does not look like that to me."

"She has no choice but to break off our engagement." At this point, the young man leaned at his brother's shoulder and continued sobbing there. "She loves me and I am sure she is doing something to prevent our separation. I cannot sit around and do nothing myself!"

"Nobody is sitting around! We will gain control of Alamut once again, and with the turn of events, maybe even the whole of the Persian empire. Your little princess is out of my plan but maybe that can change. We will see what your part in this will be when you are more calm."

"Yes, I will see." responded Garsiv in the distance as he watched through a crevice in the garden wall while the city's governor and his brother leave.

~break~

"Dastan, the city maybe holy but the thoughts and actions of its citizens are not. You must be careful."

"You do not have to look so grim, Garsiv. I do have my plans. I will cleanse the holy order as soon as after the wedding festivities are over."

"The holy order? That is just a bunch of monks and nuns! They are all there only for Alamut's sacred appearance."

"Its sacred appearance is Alamut's bread and butter. Besides, I fear the order has been infiltrated with dangerous elements."

"And what will these do? Corrupt the sacrifice to the gods? That should not be the priority, Dastan. I do not understand father wanting us to interfere lightly on the local politics. I think doing so will bring us trouble in the future. Overhaul the whole political arena, I say. Assume the city's governorship right away. I will assign Mukbhar to replace the useless military head of this city and will leave you with two battallions."

"Governorship? Your favorite general and two battallions? Don't we all have more important tasks to do such as conquering new lands? It seems you want to miss me in the battlefields, older brother. I do not intend to stay here very long."

"Stay long enough to solidify our grasp in this city and to secure your bride's loyalty. Something is wrong here in Alamut."

~break~

"Needed to perform a last minute ritual?" Garsiv whisphered in her ear as he closed in on her from behind.

Tamina looked back at him with a frightened expression but quickly regained her composure when she recognized who he was. "Prince Garsiv. In the day, it is Dastan who would not let me out of his sight. I had no idea, it is you who guards me at night."

It was hard not to get distracted by her beauty when the distance between them is so little, but Garsiv did not see what the princess actually did at the temple and he is intent on finding out. "Who could help not to guard the mischievous little princess when she sneaks out the night before her wedding?"

"I am not yet a prisoner, Prince. I do not have to sneak out! I decided to take a walk in my gardens before I am forever imprisoned in a Persian royal harem by marriage to your brother."

"Be careful with your language in the dark, Princess. They betray the true feelings you hide behind your giggles when you are with my brother in sunlight." By this time, Garsiv have maneuvered Tamina to a wall.

"I never hid any of my feelings. Only a fool would believe that a princess is glad that her city is invaded."

"And what are you doing about it, Princess? Praying to your gods at the temple to deliver you from your marriage?" Garsiv has pushed her against the wall, his patience wearing off.

"I guess that is all I can do with Persia's armies a hundred times bigger than mine." Her voice hinted helplessness and the moonlight reflected sadness in her eyes. She looked fragile against him, very far from the image of the strong willed princess whose head is forever held up high.

She is an enchantress, Garsiv thought, using her beauty and looking helpless to get what she wants. He will not let her get to him. "Or are you plotting...?"

"Plotting what Prince? Plot the murder of the beloved Persian royal family and see your soldiers tear every citizen of my city to pieces? No matter what I do, I lose this game with you Persians."


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3 is a fluff. well not reall... but anyway.

~break~

"Is Dastan already awake?" He stepped into the quarters without waiting for the reply of the guard who opened the door for him. Garsiv has not winked a second since his encounter with Tamina last night and has marched into Dastan's rooms once the first ray of the sun greeted the morning sky. He will advise Dastan on Tamina's late night activity to convince his brother of what a wretched bitch the bride really is. Not that he had not done so before. He had told his whole family about Tamina's former engagement, the governor's plans and other out-of-place events he had noticed inside Alamut's walls but his father and brothers seemed uninterested. His father uttered something about politics not being a war general's game and Dastan said he trusts Tamina wholeheartedly and so should he. The only assurance he got was from Tus who said he will do something, but so far no heads have rolled and nothing has been done!

"Hahaha, talc looks good on you! The circles in your eyes are not charcoal black anymore." He heard giggling behind another wall that hid Dastan's bed chamber.

"My brother is not alone?" Garsiv asked another guard on stand.

"The Lord Bis and his sister are with him, Your Highness."

Great, he was worried about waking Dastan up too early and it turned out he had earlier visitors.

"Do not announce my entrance anymore." Garsiv ordered. He stepped into the room and saw Bis snoring on the bed while Dastan sat in front of the mirror. Zarja circled about him, undoubtedly doing something to his face.

"You severely enjoy putting powder on my face, don't you?" Dastan observed from the big smile on Zarja's face.

"Well, you never play girlish games with me. You and Bis are all about climbing roofs and sword fighting. At least before you wed, we get to play a game I enjoy." Zarja replied in a slow and very meek manner that defined her whole personality.

"The King and the Crown Prince arrive!" The guard behind Garsiv shouted.

Oh great, everyone decides to visit Dastan early. Their father is too excited for his youngest son's wedding, Garsiv is sure the morning's talk will be about celebrations and later, how to treat a woman right. His litany on Tamina and her people's mistakes would not be listened to at all.

"Who would have thought you would beat us in blessing Dastan on his wedding day?" Tus said.

"Do not feel so envious of me, family has been beaten by his two playmates."

When Garsiv turned back to the bed chamber, Bis was already up and Zarja was already in a curtsy position. Dastan walked up to his family, his face chalk white and several tones away from the color of his neck. Despite all the stress he felt at that moment, Garsiv could not help but break into a loud laugh.

~break~

Nearly an hour later, Garsiv escorted Zarja out of Dastan's quarters. The royal tailor has arrived and Dastan will be changing into his wedding garments. The rest of the men stayed but Garsiv felt that all the serious talk about marriage would now ensue after they had exhausted all the jokes about Dastan's white face and wedding jitters.

"Was it that horibble?" The maiden behind him asked in a worried voice.

"What?"

"Dastan's face. You were making fun of it so much and he looked very embarassed."

"Why? Do you think it was good?" His answer came out harshly and Zarja shifted her gaze down to the floor in hurt. Seriously, did she think her make over for Dastan looked good? "Look, it was not really the way he looked... we were laughing about... about, uhm... his willingness to put powder on his face for his bride. You know, Dastan, Lion of Persia, powdering his face for aesthetics... not for camouflage or anything war related..." He was not sure if he convinced her because she still did not look up at him.

"Oh, good, the two of you are still here." Tus walked hurriedly to catch up with them. "Zarja, your sister told me about the dance you will be giving Dastan and his bride." Tus' third wife is the daughter of the Persian Tax Minister and the sister of the Bis and Zarja.

"Yes, your highness. It will be one of my family's gifts to the couple."

"Well, I was thinking about moving your performance to the seventh day of the festivities, the day set for the gifts of family members. Since Dastan, and we, consider you as close family already. Dastan would be very happy to see you on that day."

"Oh, your highness, that would be such an honor."

"And Garsiv, maybe you can play the harp to accompany Zarja's performance."

"What?" Garsiv was not prepared for that suggestion.

"Well, it would be a proper gift, don't you think? Dastan would be very happy with it."

"But I already have a gift!"

"Really, after all your snooping around town you found time to find a suitable gift?"

"I have people to do it for me, Tus," Garsiv answered confidently remembering the silver shield his men brought from Egypt. He was sure Dastan would enjoy playing around with it. For Tamina,though, he was not sure what his men got for her but neither is he concerned.

"More than material things Garsiv, we must give Dastan something personal and important. He would love to hear you play the harp again, like you used to put him to sleep when he was still new to the palace."

"Well, Tus, what 'personal' thing will you be giving him?"

"My children will be singing for the newlyweds." It was now Tus' turn to look confident. "I am told the little ones sound angelic."

"Yes, they do, your highness. I have heard them and is overwhelmingly impressed." Zarja commented. Tus nodded and looked silly proud.

"That is very fair, using your children to deliver something personal."

"They did come from within me, Garsiv."

"Why do we have to do this anyway? You were happy with all the gold and silk we gifted you and your brides. I am sure Dastan would be content with 'material' things."

"Actually, Garsiv, I was expecting something more from family. And now that I am in charge of the gift giving, I will ensure that Dastan gets nothing less than what he deserves from us!"

~break~

He felt inadequate. He is not comfortble with this harp, he has not played in a while and he could tell that the most graceful dancer in the Persian Royal Court is having a difficult time adjusting her steps to his wrong tempo. And whenever he felt inadequate, he grew angry and so he shouted at her for his faults. He could tell she was taken a back. She is a member of the Persian elite and nobody shouts at her. Yet she very gradually regained her composure and asked for his pardon.

"I am sorry, Your Highness. My feet feel heavy today... but that is not an excuse. I will try to do better... if you are not yet tired."

The sincerity in her apology and the brimming tears in her eyes made him feel all the more horrible. He did not know what to do next since neither can he admit that he was wrong.

"Let us do it again, then." With a sigh and heavy fingers, he started to pluck the harp again. He tried very hard to concentrate but his chest felt very burdened with his earlier actions and the distance between the strings began to blur out. "Grrrrr!" He shouted in a while, lifting the harp up in the air with every intention of breaking it against the ground. But a little voice in his head urged him not to scare the Lady Zarja any further, so he stopped at midair and gently placed harp on the ground. "This Alamutian harp is doing all the trouble! I will have it replaced. Be back here this time again tomorrow." Garsiv said not looking at her.

"Yes, your highness," Zarja replied before walking slowly out of the room. He heard the golden coins of her bedlah sway against each other as she made a scared mad dash away from the room when she was already behind the walls.


	4. Chapter 4

With his hands still sore, Garsiv stormed down to the barracks and was pleased for the first time that day to find his men engaged in training. His soldiers, he can count on. They too can feel the unrest beneath every curtsy and smile of the citizens of Alamut. They have conquered too many cities to be fooled, and the upturned lips cannot hide the familiar fire in their eyes.  
"what have you found?" He asked as he took his seat in the middle of his tent.  
"Shallow stories, Sir. The inner circles are too tight, we could not squeeze in a spy."  
"You cannot buy your way in?"  
"Sir, this is such a loyal and religious people. We ought to be wary of anyone that could be bought. You remember the spies your uncle presented."  
"How about the Governor's enemies?"  
"We have one such family in our custody... but they were allies of your uncle. Besides, we do not know if they would know anything about current movements."  
"Try them still, leave no stones unturned." Garsiv motioned to dismiss him.  
"One thing Sir, your father has asked the chief to stop with our espionage."  
Garsiv rubbed at his beard. "Work more stealthily then, so that my father would not take notice of you."  
The young spy gave him a grin and was about to bow his way out.  
"Wait," Garsiv suddenly called out, "see if you can find me a Persian harp in the market."  
-_-

On the second day of the wedding celebration, the concern of all of Dastan's friends was whether the marriage had been consummated the night before. But for Garsiv, he was relieved just to see his brother is still alive after spending a night with a woman he considers treacherous. He now sat beside Dastan and his bride, watching performances and accepting gifts from various Persian satapys. On the other side, Tus is putting so much effort chatting up Tamina to discourage the banter that has been going on since morning between the newlyweds. Dastan purportedly mentioned something obscene about his first night with his bride to his friends and Tamina has not shut up about it. Garsiv drank as much wine as he can just to block the irritating voices around him, particularly that of Tamina's Alamut accent.  
He hardly winked the night before and had even shared the lower quarters of Tamina's household with a loud and drunk Bis, who seemed to have also been enchanted by Tamina. When he heard that Bis was welcome to share the house where the newlyweds would retire to, Garsiv wasted no time extending the invitation to himself. His father gave him a stern look but did not want to call more attention to the matter and so, had let him be.  
Garsiv could not really hear anything through the thick walls. But at least he knew that his presence, along with his mandatory guards, would deter any attempt on his brother's life.  
"So you have not noticed anything unusual with Dastan's behavior?"  
"He is as infatuated as he usually is with every new girl he romances, I just hope this one lasts a little longer. You know how he tires and hides from his conquests. There is just no hiding from one's wife."  
"Has he ever been bewitched before? Could you tell if there are any similarities?"  
"My Prince, I am sure Dastan is enchanted, but definitely not by witchcraft. More of divine holiness. The Lady Tamina is a goddess." Bis said in his drunken dreamy state. "And Dastan is up there, lavishing her."  
Garsiv raised his brows at that.  
"I meant no disrespect of course." Bis followed quickly.  
"It is not you. That woman, flaunting all her beauty is not inviting so much respect. A Persian Princess ought to be admired, not lusted upon."  
"Hahaha. You sound pretty much like mother. She had been pretty disappointed that Dastan had not married Zarja instead."  
"It is a loss for our family. Your sister is a perfectly honorable woman."  
"Something wrong with her though." Bis in an almost whispher.  
"What?"  
"Nothing... really... I do not know. I mean, she is my twin sister, but... would you consider marrying her?"  
Garsiv was taken a back by the question and he shrugged.  
"See," Bis concluded.  
"See what?" Garsiv prodded.  
"Mother always said she had no suitors because everyone believes that Dastan would marry her. But everyone also knows that Dastan is not a bit interested..."  
"What do you think is wrong with her then?"  
"I do not know. I am family, so I supposed I would be blind to that. But she has the aura of our old aunts. She'll be a spinster."


End file.
